Self-oiling car-wheel



No. 625,024. Patented May I6,` |899.

A. W. DRAKE.

SELF DILING CAB WHEEL.

(Application filed June 25, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)`

Nrrnn STATES PATENT v OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS W. DRAKE,.OF LATTIMER MINES, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-olLlNc CAR-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,024, dated May 16, 1899. i Application filed June 25, 1897. Serial No. 642,288. (No model.)

timer Mines, in the county of Luzerne and' State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Self-Oiling Car-Wheel, of which the following is a specification.

As at present constructed the wheels of cars used in and around mines are iitted to the axle spindles or journals to expose the latter. It is frequently the case that mining-cars be-Y come submerged in water owing to the flooding of the mine, and it has been found that the oil will be washed from the bearings and the car rendered almost useless owing to the fact that the wheel is locked by a rust-joint to its spindle or journal, so that the car cannot be used until the wheels shall have been reoiled several tim-es.

In my present invention the primary object is to construct an oiler for a mining-car wheel in a manner to effectually exclude the admission of water to the Wheelhub and axle-journal4 and at the same time to provide for the thorough lubrication of the protruding end of the axle-spindle- According to my invention the hub of a mining-car is provided with means which tend to reinforce and strengthen the-hub instead of detracting from its strength, and the oilin g and inclosing cap is of substantial construc-l tion and is united solidly and firmly to the car-wheel, so as to attain an exceedingly tight joint between the wheel-hub and the inclosing cap.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved oiling device which fits in close relation to the protruding` end ot' the axle-spindle, sofas to retain in position the linchpin by which the wheel is prevented from displacement on the spindle, and this inclosing cap is of annular and substantial construction for the purpose of producing a smooth tread-surface to adapt the inclosing cap for service as a guide-roller to travel upon a guide-rail usually provided adjacent to the car-tracks within a mine, i lVth these ends in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation which is pronecessary to substantially alter-or modify the construction of the Wheel except to make provision for the attachment of the shouldered and flanged cap 5. This cap is applied to the car-wheel to inclose the protruding end of the wheel-spindle, and to provide for the rigid and solid attachment of the cap to the wheelhub the outer end of the hub 2 is provided with an annular continuous flange or faceplate 4.. This flange or face-plate extends continuously around the end of the hub 2, so as to increase the strength and durability thereof, and said flange is of circular form and preferably made as an integral part of the hub, as shown by Fig. 2. Thecap 5 is wrought or cast in a single piece of metal; and it 'consists-of an annular wall 6, a head 7, and an offstanding annular flange 8. Thecap is of a diameter to fitA across and over the open end of the hub 2, and the' flange 8 of the cap is coincident with the flange or face-plate 4 of the wheel-hub, thus providing two solid abutting faces on the wheel-hub and inclosing cap. Thecap and wheel are united solidly together by a plurality of through-bolts 11, which are passed through coincident openings formed in the flanges t and 8 of the wheel-hub and the oil-cap, re-

spectively,and between these abutting flanges of the car-wheel constructed in accordance' In embodying my invention in a mining-car wheel it is not gasket or packing is compressed between or IOO ket between the cap and the anged hub and the employment of the plurality of bolts which are arranged entirely around the hub and oiling-cap provides an improved joint which serves effectually to exclude the admission of water to the outer end of the wheel-bearing, and in addition to excluding water from the hub the joint also obviates the leakage of the lubrication from the oiling-cap.

The axle journal or spindle 13 extends through the wheel-hub 2 into the chamber lO, whichis formed by the cap 5 being bolted against the .outer open end of the Wheel-hub, and the wheel is held on its axle-spindle by a linchpin 14, which passes through a suitable opening in the protruding end of the axlespindle. The ends of this linchpin project beyond the cylindrical face of the protruding end of the axle-spindle, and as the cap is detachable from the wheel-hub it is obvio us that the linchpin may readily be inserted after the wheel has been slipped. on the axle-spindle and before the cap is applied and bolted to the fiange 4 of said wheel-hub. Provision is thus made for readily assembling the parts together, so that the operator can observe the necessary conditions and spread the ends of the linchpin for holding it in engagement with the axle-spindle.

In my invention for use on a mining-car wheel it is necessary to make the cap 5 a solid substantial structure in order to resist the rough serv-ice to which thedevice is subjected when the mining-car is used in a mine, and it is essential that the cap be bolted so firmly to the wheel-hub that it cannot be accidentally broken ofic when the car is thrown around and abused in its practical service. I therefore attach importance to the formation of the cap in a solid heavy construction, to the employment of the abutting coincident flanges and bolts' to form the exceedingly strong joint between the cap and wheel-hub, and to the formation of the cap with a circular plain unbroken surface adapted to serve as a tread and to permit the cap to ride upon a guiderail, which is usually erected adjacent to a mining-car track within a mine. This substantial construction of cap with a circular tread-surface enables the oiling-cap to ride freely apon a high guide-rail, and as the cap is of a solid, strong, and substantial construction and united rmly to the wheel-hub by the described means the cap is not liable to be injured or broken when in use.

By reason of the construction referred to, whereby the cap 5 is enabled to travel or ride upon the guide-rail, provision ,is made for combining in a single structure both an oilreservoir and a guide-roller for a mine-car. A structure of this character dispenses with the separate rollers or wheels which are usually fitted to mine-cars to travel upon the guide-rails which are ordinarily used in connection with the tracks for mine-cars. It is well understood by those skilled in the art that mine-cars not only travel on the ordirun forward.

nary tracks, but are valso run on guide-rails, in order to elevate them for dumping their contents, and these guide-rails are disposed at an inclination and lift the cars as'they This operation is greatly facilitated by the cap 5 in the present invention, and the separate rollers or wheels are entirely dispensed with. Now the fact that l[he cap 5 is utilized as a guide-roller necessitates the thorough-.reinforcing of the cap land its solid attachment to the wheel-hub.

To accomplish this, the outer side wall or head of the cap is greatly strengthened, by a rounded annular reinforce-boss .17,which protrudes beyond the plane of the closure-plug 1G for the feed-port, so that this plug cannot become broken off by the cap striking an obstruction. In addition to the strengthening action of the reinforcing-boss 17 an important feature to observe in the construction is the fact that the wheel-hub is provided at its outer end with the perfectly fiat shoulder, which projects beyond the plane of the adjacent side of the wheel and is adapted to have solidly bolted thereagainst the inner flanged end of the cap 5. The cap 5 is thus thoroughly braced to the wheel and lies wholly outside of the plane of the adjacent side of the wheel, so that no projecting part of the wheel interferes with the function of the cap as asupplemental guide-roller for a mine-car.

In the center of the head 7 is provided a feed-port 15,through which the lubricant may be introduced from time to time into the chamber of the cap,'tl1us obviating the necessity for removing the cap when it is desired to renew the supply of lubricant to the chamber of the oiling device. This feed-port is interiorly screw-threaded to receive a closure-plug 16, which is also threaded and is screwed into the port 15, said plug serving as a medium for closing the central portr in the cap against ingress of water or the leakage of the lubricant. To protect the plug from being broken should the car-wheel cap strike an obstruction, the head 7 of said cap is formed with an integral boss or rib 17, which projects beyond the face of the cap and incloses the plug 16, so as to serve as a guard or shield therefor.

lThe chambered cap 5 is provided on the inner surface of its annular wall 7 with a series of grooves or channels 18, which are arranged in planes parallel to the axis of the cap and open inwardly to communicate with the chamber 10 within the oiling device. These grooves form a series of pockets or receptacles in which the lubricant may accumulate and by which it is carried upwardly as the wheel and cap are rotated, so as to discharge the lubricant upon the protruding end of the axlespindle, from whence the lubricant finds its way into the wheel-hub 2.

The flange S is at the end of the chambered cap,so as to entirely expose the annular treadsurface of the cap, and this Iiange registers IIO IZO

or coincides exactly with the flange 4 of the wheel-hub. The two flanges 4L and 8 are continuous around the Wheel-hub and the inner end of the cap, and this shape of the flanges,

vention have been covered with water in flooded mines for a period of forty-eight hours, and when the water was pumped from the mine the cars moved off as easily as if they had not been standing in Water. This is a very important feature around mines, as they are flooded many times during a year. With ordinary cars the wheels become rusted on their axle-spindles, and it is almost impossible to movethe cars on the track, which results in considerable delay, annoyance, and expense. These objections are entirely overcome by my invention, which effectually excludes the' admission of. water and also prevents dirt and grit from working into the parts to wear the same.

The annularlubricating-capisproportioncd to lit snugly to the protruding end of the axle, so that it lies close thereto, and this cap serves to hold the linchpin 4llt from displacement in the end ot' the axle-spindle. The diameter of the cap is such that it fits in close relat-ion ,of the wheehhub provided at its outer end with a flat shoulder projected beyond the plane of the adjacent side of the wheel, and a continuous exterior flange 4, surrounding the peripheral edge of the should er ush with the latter, a combined oil and roller cap having its inner end abutting flat against said shoulder and provided thereat with an exterior continuous ange registering with the flange 4t of the wheel-hub, said cap lying wholly outside of the plane of the adjacent side of the wheel and provided beyond its liange with a widened truly cylindrical and horizontal exterior tread-surface for travel upon la guide-rail, and also provided centrally in its outer side wall with a plug-closed feedport and with an exterior rounded protective boss surrounding the port yand protruding beyondthe plane of the closure thereof', a gasket completely filling the space between the contacting ianges, and a plurality of bolts connecting the flanges and compressing the gasket to form a liquid-tight joint, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mining-car, the combination of the` wheel-hub provided at its outer end with a fiat shoulder,and a continuous exterioriiange surrounding the peripheral edge of the shoulder iiush with the latter, the axle-spindle having its terminal projecting' beyond 'the iiat shoulder at the outer end of the wheel-hub, and a cylindricaloil-cap bolted at its open side solidly against the flat shoulder at the outer end of the Wheel-hub and forming a liquid-tight joint therewith, said cap com.- pletely housing the contiguous protruding end of the axle-spindle and provided in the inner surface of its annular wall with a plurality of short grooves or channels opening inwardly to communicate with theinterior of the cap, and arranged in planes parallel, andof a length equal, to the length of the protruding end of the axle-spindle, whereby the lubricant is elevated by the-grooves or channels and deposited upon the protruding end of the axle-spindle from whence it works l into the adjacent wheel-hub, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS W. DRAKE,

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. HARRIS, W. I. RAVERT. 

